The present invention is directed toward a wheeled skate to be used with a floor track storage system and more particularly, toward a skate that may be secured to various different types of storage devices thereby enabling the devices to ride on a floor track.
Floor track storage systems are well known in the art. Generally they include a pair of inverted V-shaped rails that are parallel to each other and are mounted to a floor. Storage units such as shelves, cabinets, racks or the like are mounted on wheels. The wheels mate with and are guided on the rails. The wheels are fixed against swiveling movement so that the storage moves only linearly. Such systems allow for more efficient use of floor space and for increased storage space in offices, hospitals, food service environments, and the like.
A variation on the floor track system discussed above is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,725 to Welsch et al. This patent discloses a wheel attachment that includes a pair of wheels supported in an inverted U-shaped channel member for attachment to a storage rack so that the wheels move rectilinearly along a predetermined path. The guide track is mounted above the shelving or racks. A disadvantage with system, however, is that it is not versatile. That is, the system appears to be too complicated to be secured to any type of storage device and is useful only to the particular storage racks and guide rails disclosed.
Another type of system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,751 to Coyne et al. This patent discloses a wheel assembly designed to be adhesively attached to an article of furniture, storage unit, or the like in order to provide support and mobility for the article. While this device may be used with a wide variety of articles, it does not appear to be easily adapted to be used with a floor track system. That is, the each wheel device must be placed in perfect alignment on the article in order to ride on a track, thereby requiring more time and effort on the part of the user.
Thus, a need exists for a skate that is easy to assemble and fits on a wide variety of storage devices so that the device may be used on a floor track system with minimum of effort by the user, thereby increasing storage space in an office, hospital, or the like.
The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a wheeled skate that is simple to assemble and fits on a wide variety of standard storage equipment.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a skate that can be used with a conventional floor track storage system.
In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a skate intended to be attached to the bottom of a storage device. The skate includes an inverted generally U-shaped elongated channel member, a housing which fits within each end of the channel member, and a wheel which fits within each of the housings. The channel member has a top, a right side wall, and a left side wall with apertures formed in the top near both ends of the member. Each housing is also generally in an inverted U-shape with a top, a right side wall, a left side wall, and a rounded portion covering one end. An aperture is formed in the top and side walls of each housing. The apertures located in the side walls of each of the housings are aligned with each other. Each wheel has a bushing and axle that passes through the center thereof. The wheel is inserted into its respective housing so that the axle fits into the apertures formed within the side walls of the housing. Each housing is then secured within an end of the channel member. A bolt or similar securing means is inserted through each aperture formed within the top of the channel member so that the skate can be secured to the bottom of the storage device.
In a second embodiment, the wheel is secured directly to the elongated channel member via a bolt. The channel member can then be attached to the bottom of a conventional storage device such as a rack, file cabinet, shelf, or the like for movement along a floor track.